Steelers clinch division title, earn no. 2 seed in AFC playoffs with big win
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Brett Keisel sacks Browns quarterback Colt McCoy in the fourth quarter Sunday at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
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CLEVELAND -- The Steelers came to their Lake Erie fork on the final day of their weirdly dramatic season knowing just which route they craved.
They wanted the one that led home, not the one that would take them to Kansas City, Mo., or Indianapolis next week. They wanted to go home, put their feet up on the sofa next weekend, watch some football and get ready for a playoff game at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at Heinz Field.
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin called it the "elephant in the room," something that was so obvious no one needed to talk about it. It took quarterback Ben Roethlisberger about as long to sum up what the Steelers' 41-9 victory Sunday against Cleveland meant almost as quickly as he and his teammates dispatched the Browns.
"We've been saying for a couple weeks now that it's playoff time, and now it really, really is. It's good to get that bye, guys get a little rest, and playing at home is always a good thing," Roethlisberger said.
PG VIDEO: STEELERS REPORTThe Steelers won the AFC North Division championship and clinched the No. 2 seed in the conference and a bye next week in the playoffs by pummeling the Browns at Cleveland Browns Stadium to finish with a 12-4 record.
It did not take long. Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, returning to play after missing the previous two games with a lower leg injury, intercepted Browns quarterback Colt McCoy on the second play from scrimmage. On the third play, Roethlisberger threw a 56-yard touchdown pass to Mike Wallace and the rout was on.
The Steelers ran out to a 31-3 halftime lead, scored on their first six possessions and intercepted McCoy three times. The Browns were the only team that had not allowed 30 points in a game this season and the Steelers dropped that on them in two quarters.
"We've had problems starting the games fast," Polamalu said. "Obviously we had a really good start this game. It gets teams out of their game plan really fast and gives us more flexibility on defense as well as offense."
First Published January 3, 2011 12:00 am
